Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

Rated M for language, sexuality, graphic violence.

"Indelicate is he who loathes
The aspect of his fleshy clothes, -
The flying fabric stitched on bone,
The vesture of the skeleton,
The garment neither fur nor hair,
The cloak of evil and despair,
The veil long violated by
Caresses of the hand and eye.
Yet such is my unseemliness:
I hate my epidermal dress,
The savage blood's obscenity,
The rags of my anatomy,
And willingly would I dispense
With false accouterments of sense,
To sleep immodestly, a most
Incarnadine and carnal ghost."

- Theodore Roethke, "Epidermal Macabre"

Chapter 15 - The Savage Blood's Obscenity

JPOV

Alice cornered me before I had barely exited Edward's hospital room. "You're leaving?" she asked, and if it were possible, her eyes would be full of tears.

"Nothing's been decided yet," I said, but I could tell she didn't believe me, knowing how her gift worked.

I was unable to meet her eyes, already overwhelmed by emotion—my own tumultuous feelings; the anger and helplessness, the love and protectiveness radiating from Edward's mom. I had sensed her starting to stir from her sleep and I wanted to leave the room before she awoke completely; I couldn't face her right now. And now Alice's distress. I needed to get away. I couldn't be here any more. It was too much.

"I have to go. Will you…" I shut my eyes in pain as my voice trembled. "Will you stay with him? Or ask one of the others to? I…" my voice wavered again. "I don't want him to be alone." I had to get out of here.

I could feel Alice starting to panic. "Where are you going?"

I didn't answer.

"Jasper? Are you leaving? Tell me."

"I can't be here right now. I need to think."

"You're coming back though? You're not leaving today, are you?" She was wringing her hands.

"Yes, I'm coming back," I told her and her hands stilled as I felt her relief. "The police are still investigating."

"You'll stay with him?" I asked again.

"Of course."

#####

I ran as if I could somehow escape my own skin. I had no conscious destination in mind, but eventually I found myself at the edge of the meadow where Edward and I had spent an afternoon together, one day in another lifetime.

The crush of despair hit me full on and I collapsed to my knees.

I couldn't get the images out of my head: Edward lying crumpled on the ground, that vermin poised over him; the ease with which I had snapped its neck; and most vivid, Edward in the hospital, wan and still, monitored by machinery and covered in bruises. Absolutely everything had changed in an instant.

I mourned for all I had lost, all that would never be.

It was here, in this meadow, where I had first tried to tell Edward what a monster I was. As always, he refused to believe me. Even tonight, as he lay broken on the ground, his eyes failed to condemn as my evil nature was stripped of its disguise. His pure heart could never imagine the horrors of my past, the horrors I was obviously still capable of. He saw someone who didn't exist.

For a short moment in time, I had been happy. I had been ensnared by his love, his tender devotion like silken fibers, stealing over me so subtly I barely noticed as they wrapped around me, tightening slowly, pulling me closer and closer until I was completely captive. I was a willing prisoner.

I had let myself believe. I had dreamed of a future that seemed ludicrous after the events of this evening—two boys off at college, one human, one vampire, their love conquering all obstacles. How had I been so foolish to think such a scenario was possible?

I knew it was because I had never wanted anything more in my entire existence than Edward Masen. My desire blinded me to the cruel reality.

Now reality had brought me to my knees. I knew what had to be done; I only wondered how on earth I would find the strength to do it.

#####

I returned to the hospital; I couldn't stop myself from heading towards Edward's room and standing outside the door, listening to the steady beat of his heart. It was a sound that had never failed to soothe me, until now. Now each beat seemed to count down the time I had left with him, his pulse the chronometer to my eternal heartache.

The door cracked open and Alice slid out into the hall with me.

"His mother is still with him," she informed me, and I nodded in appreciation.

"Are you really going to be leaving me?" she asked next, and I almost fell to my knees again under the weight of her sorrow.

I couldn't answer, but it didn't matter; she already knew. She threw herself at me and wrapped her arms tightly around my waist, as if her tiny form could constrain me. Her face was buried in my chest, and I could feel her trembling like a hummingbird against my body.

"What will I do without you, Jasper? You're my family."

I tightened my arms around her and leaned over to press my face against the top of her head. When I was able to speak, I told her, "You'll always be my family. Always. We'll just have to be a family from a little distance for a while."

"Can't I come with you?" she asked, and I longed to say yes, but I knew how happy she had been living with the Cullens, having parents and siblings and school friends. I knew she would follow me in an instant if I asked, just as I would for her, but I had already been selfish enough.

"No, you can't come with me. What would Esme and Bella do without you?" I paused, taking a deep breath and steeling myself before adding, "And I need you to look out for Edward after I'm gone. He'll need his friends." I had said it out loud. Now it was real.

I slid to the floor, my back against the wall. Alice followed me to the ground and curled up in my lap, like a little kitten. If it were not for her I might have shattered in a million pieces.

"When are you leaving?"

"Soon. When the investigation is over."

"Promise me you won't leave without saying goodbye."

"I would never leave without saying goodbye," I assured her. We sat there, unmoving, her head against my shoulder and our arms around each other.

Carlisle found us like that when he came to check on Edward. Alice climbed out of my lap and we stood to speak to him. She looked at me questioningly and I gave a small shake of my head no. I wasn't ready to discuss my decision with Carlisle. I knew he would try and talk me out of it, and I wasn't up for that conversation yet.

"He's still asleep," I told him.

"All right. I've asked the nurse to let me know the next time he wakes up, so I can assess the head injury." He put his hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "How are you holding up, son?"

"I'll be fine." He looked at me as if he didn't believe me. What could he say, though? What was done, was done.

"There's a good likelihood Edward won't remember the attack; however, he might. I need to ask: do you want to be with me in the room when I speak to him?"

I really hadn't considered that Edward wouldn't remember the attack, although it should have been an obvious conclusion. I may not have had a medical degree but I was aware that traumatic brain injuries often caused some degree of retrograde amnesia.

I hoped that was the case. It would simplify my departure significantly and reduce the risk of his involvement with me. But what if he did remember? What if he remembered my deadly actions, remembered seeing my true face revealed, and no longer looked at me with love, but with the horror I deserved? I didn't think I could live for the remainder of eternity with such a memory fixed permanently in my mind.

"No. I don't want to be there when you speak with him."

He didn't question my decision. "Okay. I'll let you know how it goes."

I nodded then shut my eyes. I was so tired.

"Why don't you go home, son? We'll take care of him. It's going to be okay."

Nothing was ever going to be okay again, but I just nodded. Carlisle pulled me into a hug, saying, "I love you."

I couldn't speak.

Alice took my hand and gave it a tight squeeze. "I'll stay here and watch over him for you. For as long as you need." I squeezed back, understanding what she meant. I hoped she knew how much it meant to me.

I did go home. The urge to run was strong, but I couldn't leave just yet. Not without knowing Edward was really going to be okay, and not without knowing the outcome of the police investigation. I wouldn't put the others through more trouble because of me. I wandered aimlessly throughout the house, trying to find something to keep my mind distracted, but everything reminded me of Edward. Everything.

I had no idea how I was going to survive without him.

#####

The next time I visited the hospital, Rosalie met me outside his room. Carlisle had confirmed that Edward had no memory of my actions during the attack, yet I still couldn't bring myself to see him again.

"How is he?" I asked.

"He asked for you," she said.

I looked away. After a moment I said, "Don't let him know I was here."

"Why are you here?"

I was here because I couldn't stay away. I needed to hear the sound of his heart beat.

Rosalie was irritated by my silence. "Why don't you want him to know you were here?" she persisted.

"If he knows I was here, he'll want to know why I didn't visit him."

"I want to know why you haven't visited him. You were the first thing he asked about when he woke up. He was worried if you were okay."

I turned my face to study Rosalie. She was angry with me. Her reaction was unexpected. She had always disapproved of my relationship with Edward.

"Don't look at me like that," she snapped. "Carlisle says he's your mate. If he's your mate, he's family."

Her voice changed… softened. Her eyes became unfocused. "And he's been through a terrible ordeal. Terrible. Outnumbered… defenseless… it could have been so much worse…."

She was silent for a moment and I knew she was lost in memories.

Her attention focused back on me, and she was once again in the present. "He was lucky you were there. You saved him." Her eyes burned into mine when I didn't respond.

"Alice tells me you're leaving."

"I am."

"She's very upset."

"I know."

"He needs you."

My stomach clenched. I needed him. Somehow, I had to find the strength. I couldn't speak.

After another minute of silence she shook her head, saying, "God, what you must think of me."

I was puzzled and it showed on my face.

"I know what you're thinking, Jasper. Why you want to leave. Do you really think you were the monster in that scenario?" She already knew my answer. "Because I can tell you, you weren't. He was the monster. He deserved to die." Her expression was cold.

"I don't regret what I did. I have no remorse. They deserved to die for what they did to me, just as he deserved it. You are not the monster here."

It was useless to discuss it. I had already made my decision.

I could not, however, let her believe I thought her a monster. We were rarely physically affectionate with each other, but I knew how deeply her emotions ran. She was fiercely passionate about those for whom she cared. I reached over and pulled her into my arms, hugging her tightly and kissing the top of her head.

"Thank you, Rosalie," I whispered into her hair. We held each other for a few moments then I pulled back to look at her face. In many ways Rosalie was the strongest of us all; her strength was her true beauty.

"You'll look out for Alice for me?" I asked.

She nodded her head. "I wish you'd talk to Carlisle."

"I will," I told her. "Soon." I wasn't ready quite yet.

"I'm going back in to sit with him. Are you staying or leaving?" she asked.

"I'm… not sure." The urge to run warred with my need to stay closer.

She sighed. "I'll look for you later, and if you're not here, I'll call and let you know how he's doing."

"Thank you," I said as she reached to open the door. I shut my eyes, so I wouldn't catch a glimpse of Edward before I was ready. I knew the next time I saw him I would be saying goodbye.

#####

The next several days were more of the same. I found myself haunting the hospital corridors at all hours, desperate for the comfort of his presence, even if I had yet to go back into the room. I did what I could to ease his pain. Each time he asked for me, I felt my heart break anew, but I couldn't face him. I would never be able to hide my intentions. I would never be able to look into those leafy green eyes without revealing my utter devastation and complete ruin.

When I wasn't at the hospital, I would wander restlessly through the house, or I would run, finding myself at the meadow, time and time again. I replayed our every interaction over and over in my mind, losing myself to memory and forgetting, for a time, what was soon to come.

The investigation was still in progress and I welcomed the delay in the decision as it prolonged the day when I was plunged back into darkness. For now I felt as though I lived in shadow, desperately holding onto the fading daylight as twilight descended and nighttime approached. For a time I had basked in sunshine, the radiance of his smile heating my cold interior, melting my icy core.

I felt like I would never be warm again.

Carlisle finally confronted me.

"I'm leaving as soon as the investigation is concluded," I told him. "Whichever way it goes."

"But why, son?" he questioned.

"If I'm charged in the death, it should be obvious. I can't be taken into custody and risk exposure of us all. I would have to leave."

"No, I understand that, of course, but no one thinks that's what the outcome will be. Charlie's almost certain there will be no charges filed. Why would you leave?"

"I'm leaving to protect Edward." Wasn't it obvious?

"You have protected Edward, son. You're the reason he's still with us."

I felt a spike of irrational anger. "You don't understand!" I practically shouted.

"Then make me understand, Jasper," he responded patiently.

"I'm a monster," I began. "I am," I insisted when I saw him move as if to disagree. "My first instinct was to go for the kill. I didn't even hesitate. I fooled myself into thinking I had overcome my evil nature, but it was just under the surface, waiting for an opportunity."

"Edward is your mate. Circumstances are important here. I'm certain any of us would have responded the same way."

I shook my head in disagreement. "You have no idea how crazed the blood was making me. I thought I would go mad. When Emmett took me hunting, I was so in thrall to my rage and my blood lust that I almost attacked him. Did he tell you that? Did he tell you how I almost killed my own brother?"

"I'm aware of what happened, yes," he said calmly.

"Then you should understand why I can't be around Edward anymore. I can't risk him getting hurt because of me."

"He's your mate," Carlisle said softly. "Can you really leave him?"

"I have to," I whispered.

"He loves you."

"He shouldn't."

"But he does. Would you please give it some time? Think it through a little more. Wait until things have settled down before you take such a drastic step. Please?" he entreated.

"I have thought it through, Carlisle," I insisted. "More time isn't going to change what I am. He's young; he'll get over it, eventually, and he'll find someone more appropriate, someone human." I was in agony even thinking about the possibility of someone else by Edward's side.

"I don't think you're looking at things clearly. I don't believe you would ever harm Edward; you love him too much."

He held up his hand to stop me when I tried to interrupt him.

"No, listen, please. Your mate was attacked right in front of you. There was blood everywhere. If there ever was a time when you were going to lose control, it was right then. Yet you didn't."

"I killed a man. I snapped his neck without a second thought," I protested angrily.

"You protected your mate, Jasper. You stayed with Edward until the paramedics arrived, even though he was covered in blood. I think you underestimate your strength."

It didn't matter what he said; I knew the truth.

"Son," he said in a softer voice, "I took an oath to preserve life, and yet I cannot say that in the same circumstance, if it were Esme under attack, I would have reacted otherwise. I don't mean to minimize the seriousness of your actions or sound cavalier about the loss of a life. All life is sacred, even that of such grievously flawed individuals. But keep in mind that even human laws take into account such things as mitigating circumstances." He paused to squeeze my shoulder. "I think we'll see the human judgment weighing in your favor here."

"I'm sorry, Carlisle," I said in a pained voice. "I've already made my decision."

He sighed heavily, acknowledging defeat. "Where will you go?"

"I'm not sure," I admitted.

"I'd like you to consider staying in Alaska with our extended family. You were alone a long time, but there's no need for that anymore. You have a family now, who love you and want to see you happy. You will always be a part of this family, Jasper. And I know Alice would take comfort knowing you weren't alone."

I wasn't sure I should be inflicting my misery on anyone else, but his words stirred something inside of me. "I'll consider it."

#####

Carlisle was right; there were no charges to be filed against me for my murderous actions. A newspaper article had been instrumental in the outcome and I was grateful for its existence. Not because it had helped me avoid prosecution, but because it gave me easy excuses to justify my departure.

Now that the investigation was over, the time had come. Carlisle had been in touch with the three sister vampires in Alaska, a small coven he and the others had lived with in the past, and arranged for me to stay with them. I didn't care where I went; I was numb, having grown more despondent as the reality of leaving Edward began to sink in.

I stood outside his hospital room door, counting the beats of his heart, as if there were some magical number that would tell me when I should enter. I was so lost in the rhythm, feeling it wash over me, and fill me, until my empty spaces were bursting from completion, that I was surprised by Edward's mother as she exited his room.

"Oh! Jasper," she said, slightly breathless. "You surprised me."

"I apologize, ma'am," I responded.

"No, no. I'm so glad to see you. Are you here to visit Edward?" she asked. "He's been asking about you. Every day."

I shut my eyes. "I'm here to say goodbye," I told her.

"Goodbye? Jasper, what's going on?" she was shaken.

"I can't stay, Mrs. Masen. The whole area has read about what happened, what I've done. I can't go back to Forks High and pretend that nothing's changed. Everyone staring at me, and whispering about me, looking at me like I'm a monster." I gave a small shake of my head and looked her in the eyes. "And they'd be right; I am a monster."

"No, you're wrong. You're a hero, Jasper," Elizabeth replied. "Ed and I are so grateful to you, for saving Edward and getting him help. We owe you everything." She reminded me so much of Edward in that moment, arguing against my reality.

"No, you're wrong," I said, bitterness on my tongue. "I am anything but a hero."

She looked at me closely, studying my face.

"Edward loves you, Jasper," she said softly. "He'll be devastated."

I stared at the wall behind her head. "Edward deserves so much more than me. I've done… things, things he couldn't possibly dream of. He knows only of this one death by my hands, but it doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of my terrible past."

I paused, gathering my resolve. "If…" I swallowed. "When I leave, he'll have a chance for a real future, with someone who isn't a monster like me. He can have a normal life with someone his age, someone who can make him happy."

She reached out to grasp my forearm. "You make him happy."

"It's impossible," I said firmly.

She stared at me thoughtfully before speaking. "You know, when you and Edward first started seeing each other, I was very worried. He was my innocent boy and completely caught up in you. Nothing I said could convince him to slow things down." She paused before continuing. "There was something about you that made me fearful for him. You seemed so worldly, so much older than he, so much more experienced. I worried you'd hurt him and break his heart."

She shook her head with a little laugh. "In my over-protectiveness, I refused to acknowledge how much you loved each other. I see it now, though. And if you stay, I promise you, you'll have our full support."

"I just want what's best for him," I said. "I'm… dangerous… a monster. He'll be better off without me."

"If you're a monster, than I'm one too," she said sharply, "because I'm glad he's dead."

We stared at each other and understanding passed between us.

"I can't stay," I finally said.

"I know."

"He'll get past this," I assured her, hoping it was true.

"I'll help him through it," she said.

I felt the edges of panic creeping over me now that the end was near. She must have sensed my mood because she said, "Come here, baby," as she pulled me into a hug. Her arms wrapped around my body and she squeezed me tightly. I stood there with my eyes closed, wondering if my own mother had ever held me like this.

"You're a good man, Jasper Whitlock," she said softly in my ear.

Edward was fast asleep when I entered the room. I stared at my beloved boy, caressing each inch of him with my eyes, trailing over his harsh bruises, the scrapes and cuts, his wan complexion. Even in sleep his brow was knitted in pain. I leaned over and pressed my lips gently to his forehead, easing his hurt, sending a bittersweet pang of satisfaction through me as his expression relaxed. I heard the change in his breathing right before his beautiful magnolia green eyes opened to meet my gaze.

"You're here," he whispered with a sigh, and I could feel the happiness and relief flowing through him. My heart was breaking.

"I'm here," I replied. For now I was here, entirely and completely, I was here with my Edward. There were only the two of us in the entire cosmos. Nothing else existed but him and me.

"I really missed you," were the next cutting words to leave his rosy lips.

"I missed you too." I hadn't been able to stay away from the hospital for even a day without the comfort of his steady pulse. How would I survive eternity?

I watched his face as he struggled to keep his eyes open, pain and exhaustion warring with the desire to be with me. My brave strong boy.

"Go back to sleep. I'll be here when you wake up," I said gently. I grasped on to the chance to have this last small slice of heaven, to spend these last short moments with him before my heart was rent from my chest and left behind forever.

"You promise?" he asked as his eyes drifted closed. I was grateful he could no longer see my expression, for I'm sure my heartsickness was evident on my face.

"I promise."

I promise I'll love you forever.

I promise there will never be another for me, for all eternity.

I promise that I'll do everything in my power to keep you safe from harm.

I promise to set you free so you can have the kind of life you deserve, not one tied to a monster like me.

I promise I will always love you. Always.

I promise.

The next hour was the most exquisite agony. Each breath he took, each beat of his heart brought joy and pain. My eyes devoured him. My hands greedily drank in the feel of his petal soft skin. I desperately tried to take in as much of my beautiful boy as I could, cataloguing every inhale and exhale of his sweet breath, gathering up the memories to carry me through the endless stretch of days ahead. I was never going to have another chance like this again.

Eventually his eyelids fluttered open again and I was lost in his verdant gaze. If I were able, I would have tears steaming down my cheeks.

"Jasper?" he asked and I could feel his confusion and distress. "What's wrong?"

"I'm leaving," I told him. Now that the time was upon us, I wanted it over as quickly as possible.

"You're leaving? Where are you going?"

"I'll be staying with some relatives, quite some distance away."

"What? I don't understand." I tried to block out his emotions or I would never get through this.

"I can't stay here. Not after what happened. I can't go back to Forks High, as if things were the same as before," I used the excuses I had formulated after the article had come out. "I wouldn't be able to stand having everyone looking at me, whispering about me, talking about what I've done."

"What does it matter what they think?" he asked, quite upset. "You saved my life. That's what they'll be talking about."

"I killed someone, Edward. That's the part they'll remember."

His eyes were filling with tears. The ache in my chest was unbearable.

"When are you coming back?" he asked next, in a small voice.

"I'm not coming back."

My answered shocked him and the tears spilled over.

"What?" he asked in disbelief. "You can't mean that."

"I have to go," I said, my own distress barely contained. "I'm sorry, but I have to leave."

"What about college?"

"I won't be going."

"What?" His panic and confusion was slicing through my defenses. "I don't understand. When am I going to see you again? What about us?"

Here it was: the moment my existence would change forever.

"You won't see me again, Edward. I'm not coming back. Ever. I'm leaving."

The meaning behind my words seemed to sink in slowly. "I don't understand," he said in a pained whisper, his bewilderment and confusion marring the features of his precious face. I wanted nothing more than to take him in my arms and hold him and never let him go.

His beautiful green eyes, damp with tears, looked into my own. "We love each other. How can you leave me? I don't understand. Do you not love me any more?"

My darling boy. I could never let him believe such blasphemy.

"Of course I still love you. I'll always love you." For the rest of my days.

"Then why, Jasper?" the tears flowed freely now.

"You'll be better off without me," I started.

"No, I won't," he sobbed. "I need you."

His heartache stung more than a thousand venomous bites. I felt as if I was going to crumble into dust.

"You will. I'm no good for you. I'm a monster who should never have let things get this far to begin with. I've been selfish and greedy. You deserve so much more."

"I only want you," he persisted. "Please," he begged, "please don't do this."

I could already hear his plea repeating in my head for all eternity. I had to get out of here.

"I'm sorry, Edward. I should never have entered into a relationship with you in the first place. It was wrong." I believed what I was saying, but why did this now seem like the greatest blasphemy? I had to leave. I couldn't take any more.

"How can you say that, Jasper?" he practically yelled in his anguish. "How can you say that?" He was sobbing and my heart clenched as I felt how each of his gasps jolted his broken ribs, causing him stabbing pains in his chest.

I didn't know what to say. I was paralyzed, wanting to go to him, to hold him and kiss him, wanting to run, to run fast and far, never looking back. His tear stained face would be etched into my memory for all eternity.

"I'm sorry," I whispered as I used my last remaining strength to move me towards the door. "I'm sorry."

Elizabeth was on the other side and she gave me a sympathetic look before slipping into the room and climbing up onto the bed with Edward. I saw her take him into her arms as he sobbed out his heartbreak to her. And then I ran, while knowing this was pain from which I never would escape.

#####

The road stretched before me as I made my way toward Alaska, my belongings packed in the car with me. I had endured the sorrowful goodbyes from Alice and Esme and more endless discussions with Carlisle as he tried to convince me, yet again, that I was not a monster.

I knew differently.

He could never understand the depths of my depravity, the evil that resided permanently within. He didn't know the whole truth. I had barely allowed myself to acknowledge it.

He didn't know my secret shame.

For when Edward lay on the ground, injured and bleeding and I knew not whether he would live or die, a notion had flickered under the surface of my consciousness. I didn't allow it to take form, didn't allow it to become word or rise into thought, yet it was there all the same: I could turn him.

I was overtaken by horror, horror at the spike of joy that accompanied such an errant notion, joy brought about by selfish desire to keep Edward with me for all eternity. Horror that somewhere deep inside of me there was something that desired to conscript my beloved boy to endless nights of torment, just so I selfishly would not have to be parted from him.

Killing my mate's attacker made me a murderer; the desire to turn my mate, however infinitesimal that desire may be, made me a monster.

A/N: In order to remain on schedule and get this chapter out today, I've fallen behind on review replies. If you haven't heard from me yet, your reply is still coming; I swear! I really enjoy the opportunity to interact with the readers. You all are awesome.

Speaking of awesome, my betas are awesome—my Twilighted(dot)net validation beta, Beautiful_Distraction, who I finally got a chance to meet, and OnTheTurningAway, who celebrated a birthday recently. As a gift, I wrote her a smutty fluffy one shot called Get the Party Started, which you can find on my profile. I love you, bb, even I did find out after the fact the disturbing news that you prefer DC Comics to Marvel.

I've also posted the one shot I wrote for the Fics for Nashville compilation, White Blaze to Lone Star. It was recommended this week on TwiSlash Unveiled's Tuesday's Best! Thank you so much! Story link is on my profile and you can read the write-up here: http:/twislash(dot)blogspot(dot)com/2010/07/tuesdays-best-7-27-2010(dot)html.

Voting for The Vampies has almost closed! You've got until August 1st to show your support. There are some incredible stories nominated, including some of my very favorites. I'm honored to be included among them. I Wept Not was nominated in three categories: Bloody Brilliant (Best Overall—the only slash story to be nominated in this category!); The Rainbow Connection (Best Slash); and It's So Wrong, It Has to be Right (Best Non-Canon Pairing)! http:/twificpics(dot)com/vampawards.

In more awards news, it's time for the 2nd round of The Slash Awards. Nominations are opening on August 1st and will be accepted through the 22nd. You can find out more here: http:/theslashawards(dot)blogspot(dot)com.

Yeah, that was kind of a long AN. Sorry!